


Change

by Leni



Series: Guilty Until Proven Otherwise [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 10:04:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9716777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: A development in their relationship.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bookwormchocaholic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookwormchocaholic/gifts).



> @bookwormchocaholic asked: Guilty Until Proven Otherwise (why haven't I read this earlier, it's fantastic!!!) Belle: how is work? Has things between you and your mysterious employer improved?

“Miss French?”

Belle looked up from the contents of yet another drawer full of receipts, bills, and letters. It was taking her longer than expected to organize Mr. Gold’s affairs. Every time she came close to having all files in order, Dove would appear at the door with another pile of unlabeled documents.

Belle was caught between exasperation and elation each time. On the one hand, it meant the work she had been hired to do wasn’t yet complete, and she couldn’t help a stab of failure at the thought; but on the other hand, she was still drawing her weekly checks, and a full stomach always trumped disappointed work ethics.

“Yes, Mr. Gold?” she answered, unable to keep the smile from her face at the sight of her boss.

The rest of Storybrooke might believe him a dour man capable of murder... and they would be in the right. But she now believed in his innocence, even if the man himself liked to act as if he’d gotten away on lack of evidence alone. After working under the same roof for almost half a year, after running into him in the kitchen so many times, and often engaging in long conversations before it struck her that she should get back to work, Belle was sure of her assessment of Storybrooke’s ‘beast’.

Beneath those solemn eyes and biting words, hid a sweet man with a penchant for silly jokes and a nice, soft laugh. Belle would bet - well, if she owned anything of value, she would bet it - that whatever Milah Gold’s fate had been, her husband had had no hand in it.

He eyed her smile, always weighing its honesty, and after a bit his expression softened a smidgen. The change was minuscule enough to go unnoticed by other people, but Belle had become an expert at reading him. “I was passing by,” he said, walking in. “Thought I would check on your progress...”

His eyes went to the piles of documents awaiting her attention.

“...assuming there has been any.”

Belle felt the flush on her cheeks, but drew her shoulders back and didn’t look away. She was trying her best, and she’d dare anyone to do a better job at keeping straight the multitude of businesses and side deals Mr. Gold managed. “You’re a very busy man, Mr. Gold.”

He walked up to her desk, and Belle had to blink away the realization that he had seldom walked this far into the library that served as her center of operations.

Usually, if he needed to consult her on anything, he sent Dove to escort her to his office; the few times she’d heard the tapping of his cane on the corridor had been only to tell her sharply that she better take a break and come downstairs for a sandwich, because he refused to be held responsible if a second woman with ties to him perished. “Inanition isn’t a pretty way to go, dearie,” he’d sneer at her from the doorway, and march away without further ado, obviously expecting Belle to follow him.

Belle, who disliked following orders, would mark her place and grin, shaking her head at the man’s foolish attempt to mask his concern, and hurry after him.

The kitchen was neutral ground, a place where he relaxed while she prepared her tea (and often an extra cup for him), and they talked of current news and old books while they sipped on their drinks.

The different approach he had taken today made her wonder what his goal was. “Dove just brought these this morning,” she told him, waving at the four medium-sized boxes, three of them full to the brim. “I will finish with them by next Monday, don’t worry,” she told him. “Is there a specific matter you want me to tackle first?”

Gold shook his head. He reached for one of the documents on top - a copy of a lease, Belle could tell at a glance. He examined the contents, then made a thoughtful sound. “This was signed last week.”

Belle nodded.

“I thought I hired you to straighten the paperwork I’d been unable to handle during... well. Harder and impossibly annoying times.” He scowled. “Trials are such a waste of time.”

Belle had to nod again, this time with a tight knot at her throat. She hadn’t mentioned that the dates on the contracts kept coming closer and closer to the present time, believing that Gold still was distracted with putting his many affairs back on course.

“Well, Miss French. Obviously there is an issue to be corrected here,” he continued. “It seems to me the job I hired you for is no longer relevant.”

“I suppose,” Belle whispered, trying to swallow her dread.

Her credentials hadn’t improved much with this job, and her defense of Mr. Gold hadn’t endeared her to anyone. Her father’s flower shop was in no better financial place, and filial duty kept her drawing from what would have been her savings to keep the business afloat.

If she begged for a job, would he listen? She didn’t care if he hired her as a gardener of a maid! Then her heart sank when she realized that Mr. Gold already had a team on call to take care of such matters.

“I would like to finish what I’ve started,” she said instead, hoping to at least stretch her job for another week. “I can come on Sunday and finish it then.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary, dearie.”

Belle’s heart felt as if squeezed by a tight fist. “I wouldn’t charge for the extra hours...”

Gold tilted his head, eyeing her with a hint of amusement.

The bastard knew she was terrified of unemployment, and he was relishing it!

At that thought, Belle’s back snapped straight. She wouldn’t give the cruel streak in him a reason to gloat, she promised to herself as she narrowed her eyes in challenge. If he expected her to beg, he would be bones and dust before she opened her mouth.

“I see,” Gold said softly, and then chuckled. “What I meant, Miss French, is that there is no need to sacrifice your weekend. I see now that an extra hand frees a lot of my time, letting me indulge in a particular project of mine. I wonder if you’d be open to become my assistant from now on?”

Belle stared at him.

“I will expect more from you, dearie,” he told her, wagging a stern finger in her direction. Then he lifted his shoulders. “But I have every confidence that you’re up to the challenge.”

This belief in her abilities made her tear up.

His grin dimmed into concern. “The change in position would involve a raise, of course,” he hurried to reassure her.

Belle laughed. “Yes!” Before he could say anything, she had hurried around the desk, meaning to shake the hand he’d offered to seal their new deal, but somehow throwing both arms around him instead. “Thank you, thank you, Mr. Gold!”

She released him almost immediately, as the man seemed frozen in shock, and only stopped herself from kissing his open-mouthed face by a second. He would probably vanish into thin air, disregarding all laws of physics and reality, if she tried that. “Yes, Mr. Gold,” she said more quietly, fingers interlaced tightly so she wouldn’t reach for him again. “Of course I accept.”

“Good,” he said simply. “That’s good.”

He nodded at her, eyes a little wider than usual, and started his retreat.

“Mr. Gold?” Belle called, stopping him mid-flight. “Will my new job still include the regular lunch break times?”

He stared at her. Licked his lips. “Yes, Miss French. I believe so.”

Belle smiled. “A decent lunch and the best tea in the world - not to mention the good company. How lucky I am! This job is not what I expected,” she said with feeling, looking into his eyes, “and I’m glad.”

Gold's jaw dropped, his surprise obvious, and his lips moved but no words came out.

Belle pretended she didn’t notice his discomfort, and moved back to her chair to try to focus back on the documents she’d been working on before his visit.

She didn’t look up until the sound of his steps had faded, but when she did, her grin had spread from ear to ear.

 

The End  
14/02/17

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love!
> 
> Please leave a comment. :)


End file.
